Twenty-one

Everyone is in place and the day is just about at its peak in the sky. Down below, June and Marin begin to walk out and approach the huge trench that circle Lucas's home. Lucas himself comes out of his shelter to meet them, apparently wanting to join the fight instead of hiding behind the scenes.

June begins to speak to him, having to raise her voice just a little over the wind that whips her hair to and froe. Lucas spreads his hands as if to show off his land as if it wasn't a sore to the eye. June smiles and I see one hand twirl. A moment later, ice lands on the ground at my feet, and it's a snowflake. I glance at Sorrel and Cat and they nod, then I run down the hill as fast as my feet can carry me.

I keep an eye on Lucas and June as they talk, making sure Lucas doesn't turn around. My feet eat up the space between me and Lucas's shelter and within minutes, I'm right behind it. I hear groaning and cursing from within, then something crash. Closing my eyes, I pray Aspen is able to summon her because it would be a short battle if he didn't.

Slowly, I slip around the side of the shelter, keeping one eye on Lucas and the other on the shelter entrance. I hear Lucas laugh and roll my eyes, then hurry and launch myself inside.

I stand up and look around. It has gone silent and I don't see any sign of Zahra. But I do see a trap door under a pack and go lift it up carefully. It's dark inside and I just manage to see a curled up form in the dirt. I drop myself inside and turn so I can see the face. It's not Zahra. And I realize I put myself into a trap as soon as the door above closes shut.

"Damn it!" I curse softly and search with my hands for anything that might help me get back up there. A scream pierces the quiet space and through the door. "Zahra! Open the door!" I shout.

More screaming and something that sounds like she's rolling around.

"Zahra, open the door! Let me help you!"

"She won't help you," said a small voice from behind me. "She only helps the man. She only listens to him."

"What's your name?" I ask the boy.

"Damon."

"Damon, if I lift you up, do you think you can open the door?"

He groans. "They haven't fed me in days. There's no way out of here, and I know how to climb."

"Are you strong enough to lift that door?" I ask and kneel beside him. Not only was he starving, but he must have broken bones too because his arm was in a weird angle.

"Will I be set free?"

"You can come with me and I'll give you a home unless you have a family."

His voice turns mournful. "They're dead. She killed them."

I swallowed and didn't know how to tell the boy it wasn't her fault. Instead I say, "If you can help me, I'll get you out of here too."

I feel the boy grab my leg and I help him up. Then, I lift him onto my shoulders "Higher," he hisses. I do as he says and I begin to see light.

"Good, now just push really hard so it opens."

Damon does so and I help him climb out, then get a running start and do it myself.

When I pull myself out, Damon was beating Zahra up. "No!" I growl and push him away from her. "Leave her alone!"

"She killed my family!" Damon snapped. "She burned them in my home and laughed at their screams!"

I noticed Zahra was unconscious, but not sure if it was from the boy or from Aspen. Going to the boy, I pointed a finger at him. "You don't understand the situation here! Before you blame shit on my sister, get the facts and listen to people around you!"

"She killed them," he whimpered.

"It's not her fault," I hissed. "She's been forced to do everything since being with the bad man. Now, you either come with me and we can get you fixed up and with a home, or you go on your own."

He glances at Zahra. "What about her?"

"We're getting her help too."

Damon sighs then nods. I grunt, pick up my sister, then gesture for him to follow me. We head out of the shelter and lead him around it so Cat and Sorrel can see us. Once behind, I turn to the boy again.

"Run up to the female on the hill. She will get you to someone who can help faster than any of us."

Damon does as he's told and I follow, trying not to jostle Zahra too much that she wakes.

When we get up there, Cat grabs the boy and rushes away. Sorrel and I make our way behind the hill and around the land Lucas calls home. I can see June and Marin backing away slowly as Lucas becomes irritated about something. Once he turns around, they turn and run towards us. Lucas is furious when he sees them escaping and goes to follow when he remembers the trenches. I smile, thanking him for his brilliant plan.

Cat returns and she takes me and Zahra back to the village. It takes me a moment to steady myself before I run to my shelter. There, Aspen lays on the bed, looking paler than usual. I set Zahra down beside him and then begin to wake him up. "Aspen, wake up!"

Few minutes pass before Merin appears. "She needs to wake up."

"Wait a minute." I shake Aspen again. "Aspen, come on!"

I continue to shake Aspen and call his name as everyone returns and waits for Marin to do his job, but Aspen does not wake. However, Zahra does.